The New York Computer Virus in Jerusalem

Purim 5749 - 1989

On Purim morning 1989, I (Jacob Richman) went to work dressed as a virus.
I carried a knapsack with an endless cassette tape playing
"Mission Impossible". In the afternoon the virus roamed Jerusalem
giving out mishloach manot.

I gave out a "Virus Dictionary" which I printed
on the back of CUNY Computer Cards which I saved
from Brooklyn College (1976-1980).

I also gave out my English and Hebrew virus manifesto (see below).
In 1989, I was in charge of PC support at Intel Israel which
included over 250 pc's in Jerusalem. The manifesto includes
several educational points.
The Hebrew manifesto and a photo of the virus was published
in the quarterly Intel Electronics internal Hebrew magazine (see below).

Purim 1989

Warning ! ! !

The New York Computer Virus is in Jerusalem

It was born in an IBM 360 computer in the basement of Brooklyn College.
The computer operator was wearing a Microma watch. The virus jumped into
the watch and made it up to the streets of New York. Next it hitched a ride
to the airport in the Eprom of a Ford Lincoln Continental. At the airport
it sneaked into the flight computer of a 747 jet. Sleeping in a Panosonic
VCR it got through Israeli customs undetected. The ride to Jerusalm in the
Pioneer stereo of a Nesher Taxicab gave it a headache. It came into the
building inside a Zenith laptop computer. Beware ! ! !

The virus attacks:

- Unlocked pc's

- Hard disks that are not backed up

- Diskettes on tables

- Anhything that looks like a pc (confused due to jetlag)

The Virus Language:

1 = yes

0 = no

-1 = Maybe

How to Spot The New York Virus

1. Wears binoculars - to spot the next computer victim

2. Carries a baseball bat - in case the computer has anti-virus programs